Ladies & gentlmen: Here is a descriptionof the Apache in the 1800's Border states of Mexico
Don Jose de La Mancha
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The Apaches are divided into the Coyotes or Pinelores,
the Tontos, Chiricahuis, Mimbrenos, Gilenos, Mescaleros,
Sacramantenos, Mogollones, Carrizallenos, Gi panes, Fara-
ones, and Navajoes. They have had no fixed habitation,
and reside in the mountains and on the plains, and often
make incursions into Sonora, near Altar and Magdalena, and
also in the north-east, in the mountains of Chihuahua, near
rfanos, and in Coahuilla. They are the most savage of all the
Indians of Mexico, and are exceedingly fleet, both in trav-
ersing the vast plains and in climbing the rugged eminences
of the mountains; and, besides, are excellent horsemen.
Their arms are mostly the bow and arrow ; but some few
have fire-arms, and a lance with a flint point. They use a
leather quiver, and a shield of leopard's skin, ornamejted
with feathers and with small mirrors in the center. They
are cowardly, and only attack unawares ; crafty and treach-
erous, and scalp their victims. They make use of smoke
for telegraphic signals. They are fond of hunting deer and
wild boars, "ciballos," or Mexican bulls, black bears, wild
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goats, and Rocky Mountain sheep. Their dress consists of a
strip of linen passing betwee;; .their thighs, and fastened at
the waist, and leggings of deerskin with fringes, ornamented
with beads, and garnislied with leatlier strings, and wear
pendants and ear-rings, and in their hair they fasten a long
false braid, adorned with trinkets, shells, or silver buckles.
The women, who are as active as the men in their habits,
use very short garments of deer-skin or kid, which they call
"tlacalee," with fringes of leather strings, on the edges of
which are hung casebels, tassels, and red beads. They wear,
also, a kind of jacket called " bietle," made of the entire
deer-skin, open in front, ornamented in the same manner.
They wear moccasins of deer-skin, the same as the men,
which are called "teguas," and are fastened to the leggings.
They are all of swarthy complexion, well proportioned, wear
long hair, and no beard. Both the men and women have
very small feet. The women decorate themselves with ear-
rings of shells, or small green and white stones, resembling
crystal ; ^nd in some instances the men are decorated in
like manner. Their huts are simply poles covered with
grass or skins, and a small door, admitting a grown person.
If the i)lace is wooded, they encamp at the foot of a tree,
and cover the branches with grass to protect them from the
rain ; but generally they live without any protection what-
ever. Their atrocities are well known, and they have long
been a terror to the Sonoriaus ; but the dispersion of Vic-
torio's band subdued them, with the exception of small rov-
ing bands, that do not hesitate to attack even the stages,
as they did but a short time since, near Mesilla, in New
Mexico. Comparative peace may be said to exist, though
settlers may do well to keep on the lookout, and travel well
armed.
